Endobronchial ultrasound scan (EBUS)

An endobronchial ultrasound scan (EBUS) is a special type of bronchoscopy (a procedure that allows doctors to look at your lungs and airways). 

Your doctor will use a thin, flexible tube called a bronchoscope. This tube has a camera and an ultrasound probe at its tip. 

Tell your doctor if you are taking any medications. Your doctor will tell you if you need to stop taking any of the medications before the EBUS. 

You will have to fast for a number of hours before the procedure. This will be explained to you beforehand by the hospital team.

An EBUS is usually done under local anaesthetic (you will be awake for the procedure). The local anaesthetic will be sprayed onto the back of your throat. You may have a sedative to help you relax. 

The doctor will put the bronchoscope into your airways through the mouth or nostril. This may feel a little uncomfortable, but the sedative should help. 

The ultrasound probe makes sound waves that are changed into pictures by a computer. The pictures can show if any nearby lymph nodes are enlarged. 

The doctor can take biopsy samples from the lung or the nearby lymph nodes by passing a needle through the tube. 

The procedure usually takes less than an hour.

• You won't be able to eat or drink for a while after the test, until the local anaesthetic has worn off.
• You may feel drowsy and sleepy or you may not remember much about having the test, if you were sedated.
• Once the sedation wears off (about an hour), you can go home. Make sure you arrange for someone to take you home as you’re not allowed to drive for 24 hours after a sedative.
• You might have a sore throat for a couple of days but this will soon clear up. If not, contact your doctor at the hospital.
• You might see a small amount of blood in your saliva (spit) after the test. Contact the hospital if this doesn't go away.
• There is a small risk of developing a chest infection. Contact your GP or your hospital team if you are feeling unwell or if your spit changes colour. 
• Air can sometimes leak into the space surrounding your lungs and cause a collapsed lung. It is very rare for this to happen. Contact a doctor if you have chest pain or shortness of breath.